Imphal, May 07 2009: Under contradictory claims, Commandos of Imphal West District shot dead a suspected UG at Uripok Polem Leikai in the wee hours today.

The family member of the slain UG suspect identified as Ngangbam Nanao, however, has refuted the police claim asserting that Nanao was innocent and had been dragged out from inside the house by the police commandos before being shot dead at the backyard.

In protest against the killing, local people of Uripok Polem Leikai and its neighbouring localities resorted to blocking traffic along the Uripok-Kangchup Road for sometime today.

The road block was, however, cleared and traffic movement resumed after the arrival of police who dispersed the protestors.

Old tyres were burnt and Phaneks dried along the road to block the traffic.

Before the arrival of the police, the protestors had also shouted slogans like 'Ngangbam Nanao was an innocent civilian', 'We condemn killing innocent people', 'Commandos should targeting innocent people', 'We oppose killing without trial', 'Guilty should be given a chance to rectify himself', 'What was the crime of Nanao', 'Punish the killers', etc.

In connection with the killing, Senior SP of Imphal West District L Kailun in a statement informed that following specific information about the presence of an armed cadre of banned organisation PREPAK in a house in Uripok Polem Leikai who was intimidating the local people by showing his weapon to extort money, a team of Police Commando rushed to the locality and cordoned off the house at around 12.10 am today.

Suddenly, one armed person ran out of the house from backside and fired towards the police party.

The police cordon party also immediately retaliated and in the retaliatory firing one unknown armed youth was killed at the spot.

On search of his body one M-20 pistol loaded with two live rounds of ammunition were recovered apart from one empty case of M-20, five empty cases of AK Assault Rifles and one empty case of 9 mm ammunition from the spot of the encounter, the SSP added in his statement.

However, rejecting the police claim, the family members have asserted that 27-year old Nanao was shot dead at the backward of the house after being dragged out by the Police Commandos.

Mother of Nanao, Ngangbam Ongbi Kamlini told mediapersons that at around 1 pm some persons came to the house and started banging at the door .

They also threatened to broke down the door if it was not opened.

When the door was opened, some police commandos in uniform entered the house dragged out Nanao who was just getting up on hearing the commotion towards the backdoor.

Kamlini tried to stop the police commandos and demanded to know the reasons for taking her son away, but the commandos threatened her and after pushing her inside the house locked the door from outside.

Soon after that she heard numerous rounds of firing.

So the claim of the police that Nanao was killed in an encounter and arms have been recovered from his possession is complete hogwash, Kamlini said, adding that her son Nanao was related with any UG group but was undergoing Bible training.

Local people also informed that they heard numerous rounds of firing in the wee hours today.

But they did not venture out to inquiry about it out of fear.

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